Ok Guys...
I just picked up a Mac G4 MDD off of eBay. According to the manual the max Ram this thing can handle is 1 Gig. Is this gosple, or is there a way to max this baby to 2 or 4 Gig?
I consider you all the experts. I am but a padewan.
Thanks for your input. 
Far as I know, that board and the 2003 1.25 GHz model share the same architecture. it was the FW 800 in between that was the odd MDD.
If the above is true, then I've had 1.5 GB in mine with 1 slot open, so at least 2 GB should be possible.
Apple's ratings are often based on what ram is available at the time, not the actual memory controller limit.
Thanks eeun. I'll give her a shot when she arrives.
I wonder if that was a typo in the manual. I picked up a dual 1.25ghz MDD a couple weeks ago with 1.5GB installed and one slot still open. The Quicksilvers could do 512mb sticks, so nothing new on that size, even if it's DDR.
Cruiser and all,
What I'm getting from the manual is that there were two different types of motherboard used for the G4 MDD's. I am not sure if that would make a difference in the type of RAM or not. I'm still investigating.
Man, I tell you. There are more in's and out's that I don't know about Mac's, but with everyones help I am learning.
At the university I worked at, we had an MDD 1.25 ghz fw400 with 2gb of ram in it. Worked pretty nicely.
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g4/stats/powermac_g4_867_dp_mdd.html
You can probably get a nice DP module upgrade to 1.4+ GHz. I have a 1.3 Ghz DP upgrade for my Cube, but it runs too hot to be reliable. Your MDD should run fine with some upgrades, but may not be very cost effective. Good luck.
Resman,
Thanks for the link to Low End Mac's. I ordered 2x 512Meg sticks from Other World Computing to take my MDD to 2 Gig. I plan on making this Mac my day-to-day at home. I need more practice with Mac operating systems.
Thanks to everyone for the assist.
This topic brings up a question that has always lingered in my mind and a couple of others.
The dual processor MDD came with PC2700 DDR, the single processor MDD came with PC2100 DDR. My Mac Mini G4 came with PC3200 DDR, although it's rated for PC2700 which the earlier models came with. I've got all PC2700 in my MDD, but I'm guessing it can handle PC3200 just the same.
The 66mhz bus Beige G3 came with PC66 SDRAM but can handle both PC100 and PC133, as can the 100mhz bus B&W. Similar to the Beige circumstance, would a single processor MDD be able to handle both PC2700 and PC3200 in place of PC2100?
And if the system bus is 66mhz and you put in PC100 or PC133 RAM, is there really a significant actual speed increase in your system using the faster RAM? If I switched out the PC2700 in my MDD with PC3200 will the computer perform faster? Or is there only a PC2700 speed "saturation" possible with my MDD, and the supposed increased speed of RAM rated higher than PC2700 not actually going to be tapped, so that you're just as well off with PC2700 as you'd be with PC3200 in a dual processor MDD?
Thirdly, can my MDD handle a speed over PC3200 (if there is one)?
I'm expecting the answers may be more complex than the appearances created by the numbers. I confronted these questions once earlier while reading the detailed illuminations that Glenn Anderson provided on the versiontracker page for the download of his DIMM First Aid. Everything was a lot more involved than just CL3 slow, CL2 fast, PC133 fast, PC100 slow. Here's the page with his eye openers, although, I, myself, get lost trying to follow all the nuances:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macos/10415
One of the most amazing "product descriptions" you're ever likely to find on a versiontracker page.
• PC2100, PC2700, and PC3200 are all pin-compatible. Higher speeds will clock down to match the lowest speed on the bus, i.e. PC2700 and PC3200 mixed on a PC2100 bus will all clock down to PC2100.
• www.mactracker.ca has a free program for Mac, PC, iPhone, or iPod with full system specs on every Mac ever made. Great addition to your toolbox.
[edit:] Apparently they've discontinued the iPod and iPhone versions in favor of a web page formatted for the iPhone / iPod touch. A minor disappointment, but still a great resource.
So, in other words, putting in RAM that's faster than the bus is rated is not going to make any difference.
I was thinking maybe there was an analogy to hard drives, ie., putting a new large ATA133 7200rpm hard drive on an ATA66 bus will be slightly faster than a smaller, older ATA66 7200rpm hard drive, not because of the speed rating difference, but because the design of the platters in the newer, larger hard drive makes data access faster no matter what the bus speed--a more dense platter means faster access. So, applying this idea to RAM: despite bus speed rating, is the design of a newer, faster PC3200 stick of DDR going to make it faster than an older PC2700, thereby, making it better for your machine?
But I get the impression that any possible speed increase is going to be minuscule and one need not lunge for the PC3200 instead of the PC2700 if the bus is rated PC2700, and putting PC2700 in a single processor MDD is not going to make it a better machine than it was with PC2100.
The G4 arrived Thursday afternoon after I went to work ( I was on Night Shift this week). As most of you know; the East Coast (Maryland included) got snow and freezing rain Wednesday so minor road and side streets (including the streets in mobile home parks) were nothing but a solid sheet of ice. To top it all off, Fedex delivered it to the wrong address. When I walked in the door at midnight I had a message on my answering machine from the park office manager ( a very nice lady) that my package was dropped off seven homes away, up the hill.
Being tired I bundled up, went up the street (very carefully) and found my G4 sitting on the porch. Now the lady who owns this particular mobile home is elderly and so to my dismay her walkway was nothing but a sheet of ice.
The box was heavy, awkward, and hard to keep ahold of so I baby stepped all the way down to my place. The whole time praying that I would not have a heart attack, and I would not slip and fall down. lol
So this evening I unpacked her, found that she had 4 256 Meg sticks in her, and replaced 2 with the 512 Meg sticks that arrived from Other World Computing, and brought her up on line with 1.5 Gig.
She sings.
Now... Here is the next questions: Where can I go to find a User Manual, and how do I open up the DVD Drive to load software?
As before... any suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated.
I found the manuals. I am no longer ignorant. I have seen the light!
LOL Now I can have some fun.
If you hold down the mouse button at startup the DVD drive will eventually pop open for you to install software. In my opinion that was one of the STUPIDEST new design features that started with the Quicksilver G4 towers--no button to open the drives. I guess they figured that since owners of the slot-loaders had to suffer that problem, then we all had to suffer it too. I drilled little holes in my Quicksilver cases so I could stick a needle poker in there to touch the DVD button--Apple couldn't even provide us with little holes. Sadists. Evil pleasures in the design department.
Cruiser and all,
LOL
Yes. I believe that we all know what evil lurks in the hearts of Engineers and Designers, especially at Apple. I am going to have to order 2 more 512 Meg sticks to bring her up to 2 Gig. Then she will not only sing, she will be a chorus.
I downloaded all of the manuals last night and started reading. You know the saying... Take care of the little things and the big ones take care of themselves.
All I have to do now is get her hooked up to my cable modem and hit the internet. I brought out the disk last night that the cable company gave me for my PC, but there are no files for a Mac listed anywhere.
Can anyone give me a step-by-step procedure for connecting to the internet via cable modem that even a layman like me can understand?
Thanks in advance.
If the G4 MDD is the *ONLY* computer that will be attached to the Internet:
• Plug in the cable modem. Batten down the RG6 cable (the TV cable) to the modem and the incoming cable source. Attach an Ethernet cable to the modem and the Mac.
• (Presuming OS X) Turn on the Mac and go to Apple Menu > System Preferences > Network. Select Built-In Ethernet. Select the TCP/IP tab. From the Configure drop-down menu, select Using DHCP. Click OK. Quit System Preferences.
• (Presuming OS 9) Turn on the Mac and go to Apple Menu > Control Panels > TCP/IP. Select Using DHCP (or Automatic). Quit TCP/IP. Restart.
• Open a Web browser and have fun.
• It is conceivable that you might have to restart the Mac (especially under Mac OS 9) for the network settings to take effect. It is also possible that you might have to restart the cable modem, especially if there has been some other computer connected to it up until now.
If other computers will be *SHARING* the Internet connection:
The process is similar to the above, *but* you will need a router between the cable modem and the computers. You will need to configure the router appropriately based on the instructions for that model (usually configured through a web browser). An AirPort base station of some sort is an excellent choice: then you won't need to buy additional equipment later to add wireless access.
If this is a brand-new cable internet installation:
There may be some configuration necessary to the cable modem. Your cable company should be able to walk you through this. Make sure that they get someone on the line who knows the Mac OS. There *is* someone there. Insist on it. If they start talking about "going to the Start Menu" or "opening Internet Explorer", ask to be sent to Tier 2.
cw and all,
I placed a call to Broadstripe (my ISP) and lo and behold they have a cd with all the proper software specifically for Mac's. I was amazed. They are sending it to me and with the other two sticks of RAM on the way I should be cruising the Internet on the MDD by Saturday.
Thanks to all>
CW and all,
Received and installed the other 1Gig of RAM in the MDD yesterday. Added a 4 outlet USB card this evening and tested mouse and keyboard.
Printed out a copy of CW's instructions for hooking up the cable modem and tomorrow I will test her out for real. The next time I write it should be from the MDD online.
... He thinks I know what I'm talking about.
Good luck gsmcten. Catch you on the flip side.
Cw and all,
I guess I should have waited a bit more for the CD from Broadstripe to arrive and I have a name for my MDD. "Capricorn One" just like the movie. lol
CW I'm running OS 10.3 in this machine and I followed your instructions, but it did not recogize my cable modem. I am guessing that the software I am to receive is supposed to help in that department.
So my Bold and Brash statement about this entry being done on the MDD is NOT being done from my MDD, but from my Dell. Such is life in the big city.
Hopefully (like a Kidney Stone)this too shall pass and sometime this week I'll be in business.
Stay tuned for the next exciting installment.
Well,
After calling Broadstripe for the second time I was informed that the first tech made a mistake and there is no software disk for my cable modem that will work with a Mac. Hmmm.
So this evening I ordered an RJ-45 cable and a Ethernet to USB adapter from Apple. Once they arrive; I have a couple of Female to Female USB adapters that will function to hook my cable modem to the Ethernet / USB adapter and then from the adapter to the RJ-45 cable to the MDD.
Once this is accomplished, I should be able to follow CW's instructions and FINALLY be able to surf at my liesure.
"Damn It Jim! I'm an Apple II guy, Not a Mac Guy!" (Sorry Leonard)
Have you considered picking up a cheap 4-port wired router?
It would talk to your cable modem, and all your computers plug into the router to get online, with the bonus of not needing any additional software.
Sounds like it would solve your connection issues with less fuss.
I've been using an elderly Linksys BEFSR41 router for about 8 years now, with zero complaints. Sooooooo much nicer than using the horrible software provided by my ISP, plus the router acts as a hub for file sharing between my computers, though I've had to add an additional hub to support my various computers, networked printers, server, etc.
Howdy all,
I have spent the better part of today trying to get my G4 MDD to recognize my cable modem with no success.
Broadstripe has a section on setup for OS 10.3 (which is what I have), so I printed it out and followed the instructions and it STILL did not work.
I tried hooking the cable modem straight to the computer via the USB cable, and then I tried the USB via an adapter for Ethernet. Nothing.
Does anyone have any knowledge of what I should be doing to rectify this?
Thanks Again,
You *might* need a cross-over cable between the modem and the tower. Sometimes this is provided with the modem, sometimes not. A lot of companies bundle a straight-thru cable thinking they will be connected to a router.
Another thing is, does the modem have a DHCP Client-ID? if so, you will need to put that into the network panel. Also, for the DNS Server info, you might need to put that in.
My cox connection is this:
om.cox.net
That goes in the DNS.
If you have a DHCP Client-ID, there is a spot for it in the networking pane. You just need to enter it. A lot of cable companies no longer use this, but some may. If they do, you need to put it in the input box that says "DHCP Client ID"
You also might need to setup the DHCP as "Automatic" unless you have a Static IP address, which you will need to enter manually.
To do this (I am making a guess), there is a drop down for "Configure IPv4" and select "Manually" and then enter any info that they give you.
Can you give us any more info on this?
Do you have a straigh-thru or cross-over cable?
Did they give you an I.P. Address to put in?
Ok,
I'm not Mac literate. I'll be the first one to admit it. I also did not know that my cable box had an ethernet connetion for a cat 5 cable on the back
As soon as I switched out the USB cable for the RJ-45 all kinds of things started to happen; including a list of IP addresses.
Now... The setup on the MDD says that in order to hook up, I will have to Manually put in the DHCP Client ID. I cannot get this ID until tomorrow when Broadstrip opens up at 8:00 AM. If all goes wel I should be up and completely operational by noon.
WE SHALL SEE WHAT WE SHALL SEE.
(Trumpets Sounding)(1812 Overture in background)
I am writing this ; the final log for this thread ; from my MDD. YES! It is finally hooked up and operational. Fantastic.
Again, I would like to thank everyone for thier comments and suggestions. It is greatly appreciated.
Thanks All!!